It's virtually time for Broadway's greatest evening, and this season on the Nice White Manner has been one for the ages.

From extremely talked about revivals (Gypsy, Sundown Blvd.) to thrilling new work (Possibly Pleased Endings, Lifeless Outlaw), there's been a humiliation of riches within the 2024-2025 season. Frankly, we don't envy the Tony voters.

Within the spirit of celebration, Leisure Weekly gathered 5 of this yr's nominees — Darren Criss (Actor in a Main Position in a Musical, Possibly Pleased Ending), Megan Hilty (Actress in a Main Position, Loss of life Turns into Right here), Daniel Dae Kim (Actor in a Main Position in a Play, Yellow Face), Conrad Ricamora (Actor in a Featured Position in a Play, Oh, Mary!), and Kara Younger (Actress in a Featured Position in a Play, Function) — for a wide-ranging dialog about their reveals, nominations, characters, and extra.

Cynthia Erivo will host the 78th Annual Tony Awards, which air dwell on Sunday, June 8, on CBS and Paramount+. Till then, you’ll be able to take heed to the complete dialog on EW's The Awardist podcast, under. Learn on for highlights from the dialogue.

Take a look at extra from EW's The Awardist, that includes unique interviews, evaluation, and our podcast diving into all of the highlights from the yr's greatest in TV, motion pictures, and extra.

ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: For a few of you, that is your first Tony nomination and others it's your fourth. What does this nomination imply to you?

MEGAN HILTY: I've been engaged on Loss of life Turns into Her for years, and it's the best staff of people placing collectively this present. We put collectively one thing that brings pleasure to individuals and makes individuals chuckle proper now, which feels very, crucial. I really feel like we've received already simply by being invited to the social gathering.

CONRAD RICAMORA: The final Asian American man that was nominated in a efficiency class was B.D. Wong, which was 1982. That's an extended drought. In order a lot as I like the work, relating to awards, I let go of expectations as a result of there's been an omission that has led to a sense of invisibility. We're attending to have a good time this yr as a result of we're lastly being seen and heard in a manner that we haven't in a very long time.

DANIEL DAE KIM: In my class, there's been no Asian American who has been nominated for main actor in a play in historical past. I’m the primary, and we now have seven Asian Individuals who’re nominated, and it's a watershed second for our neighborhood.

Kara, that is your fourth consecutive nomination. How do you even start to course of the magnitude of that?

KARA YOUNG: I can't course of the magnitude of it simply but. The popularity seems like a recognition about the complete neighborhood — I'm eager about our dressers, our stage administration, the individuals who run entrance of home, the people who find themselves backstage. Each single beating coronary heart that’s caring for us is part of the popularity for the way in which that I've been supported on this course of to do the work. I'm grateful for that acknowledgement as soon as once more, particularly in a Branden Jacobs-Jenkins play, who I've been ready to work with for therefore lengthy.

All of those reveals are coping with questions of identification and bias, be that racism or ageism or every other ism. Do you’re feeling that this can be a significantly fraught or wealthy second for these themes?

KIM: All of our reveals do that very same factor, whether or not it's about race or who you like or how outdated you’re, all of these issues are about our frequent humanity. Now, it's an much more vital time to talk fact to energy and discuss concerning the ways in which artwork can say issues which can be past a textbook or a classroom. We will entertain, but additionally create understanding by the work that we do. And that's why we as artists are so highly effective.

What are the challenges of bringing new work and wholly authentic materials to Broadway?

HILTY: There's this false impression that something primarily based on prior recognized [intellectual property] is by some means simpler. We now have our personal hurdles to leap by, too. Loss of life Turns into Her relies on one of the vital iconic cult traditional motion pictures. So there's a stage of expectation that should be met, interval, or we might've closed day one.

DARREN CRISS: Each present ever, it's all a wash. You’ve one factor that's in your nook and that gives a complete lot of points on the opposite. Making artwork is at all times a f—ing annoying little do-si-do, particularly for those who're making an attempt to bop between artwork and commerce. Everyone right here's best asset, so far as their reveals are involved, can also be their best impediment and vice versa. If you’re unknown, persons are much less prone to go take an opportunity on one thing new. However the dividends are excessive on that payoff of, "Oh, did you hear concerning the factor?" There's the joy of attending to expertise one thing new. Exhibits can solely be so cute or humorous or acquainted or contemporary. It has to have all the opposite items. Broadway, there's nowhere to cover. You must know what's occurring and who you're making an attempt to impress, and extra importantly, who you're caring for.

Kara, Conrad, and Daniel, do both of you wish to communicate to the totally different uphill battle that straight performs face versus musicals by way of getting audiences in?

YOUNG: I’ve a whole lot of ideas about the way in which straight performs are supported with regard to producing and advertising and marketing. Again within the day, they used to truly have a scene on the stage [as promotion]. There was a scene that was performed out on a stage virtually like that of a musical. I used to be pondering, "Effectively, what if the late evening TV world had a scene [performed]?"

2025 Tony Awards nominations: See the full list 'Wicked' star Cynthia Erivo to host the Tony Awards

CRISS: Musicals have property. We now have musical performances. We now have literal albums that folks throughout the ocean can take part in and have interaction with outdoors of the theater in a manner that they’ll share. Musicals can endure as a result of they’ve these shareable items of content material. Performs depend on heavy superlatives like a Pulitzer, like a rare off-Broadway run. There are issues which can be exterior that need to be working at such a "sharable" stage since you guys don't have the musical quantity.

Daniel, you probably did an Audible manufacturing of Yellow Face. Do you’re feeling that's a mannequin for sharing performs much like a solid album for a musical?

KIM: Our present wouldn't have existed on Broadway if it weren't for the Audible manufacturing as a result of it was solely after we had been recording for Audible that Leigh Silverman, David Henry Hwang, and I received collectively. I requested the query, "Has this present ever been on Broadway?" And when the reply was a fast no, we began placing our heads collectively. It was the three of us who went to Roundabout and stated, "Would you guys take into account placing this up in your stage?"

It's actually by any means mandatory. When we now have every little thing on our telephones, the thought of sharing a communal house, telling a narrative in actual time, is one thing that we have to combat for as storytellers and as artists. On this age of AI, the place we don't know what's actual or not, I actually suppose that there will probably be a renaissance within the theater as a result of it will likely be one of many solely locations the place you may be assured of getting a human-to-human expertise and never query what actuality is. To simply expertise some shared thought of humanity by what we do is why we go to the theater. That's value reminding ourselves of after we dwell more and more remoted lives.

YOUNG: There’s a magic that exists inside what we do. As a result of we’re totally different individuals collectively. We aren’t the identical, however we are actually the identical on this second. Essentially the most ancestral factor we do is storytelling.

Conrad, you’re nominated for portraying Abraham Lincoln. Oh, Mary! may be very a lot a satire and a farce, however did you do any analysis on the actual sincere Abe that you simply needed to carry into the position?

RICAMORA: Any time you're in rehearsal, you digest as a lot materials as you’ll be able to and see what sticks. Every little thing fell into place for me once I thought of what influenced [writer and star Cole Escola]'s thoughts. Once I watched Gone With the Wind, it's watching the final word conventional tropes of how a person and a girl are speculated to behave. It was riveting. I assumed the performances had been so unimaginable. However to see how Vivien Leigh…she would snap into hysterics so rapidly. It made me take into consideration how ladies at the moment didn't have many choices. So, snapping into hysteria occurred on a dime.

Then, the boys needed to stroll round as these unfeeling, aggressive, hyper-masculine creatures. That basically gave me an perception into — and I don't know in the event that they're doing this consciously — however Cole's commentary on hyper-masculinity, but additionally, what's repressed while you try this? What are the layers which can be repressed due to feeling like that's how it’s a must to transfer by life? After which, with Mary, who’s tremendous bold, what would a brilliant bold girl of that point do? How would she transfer by the world and the way would she need to overcompensate and overmedicate with the intention to preserve these needs down?

Darren, you're taking part in a robotic. How does being a machine each evening change and inform your efficiency?

CRISS: It's a conveniently excessive assemble, however I don't actually, pun meant, at its nuts and bolts, give it some thought any in another way. Whether or not I'm taking part in a robotic or an actual historic particular person or a f—ing desk chair, you’re introduced with the identical main colours that all of us need to assess and execute in service of the play. All of the meat and potatoes of constructing concepts accessible to an viewers. You're abiding by these issues. The extra non-human you’re, the extra you will get to the guts of what that’s. It's no accident that each one cultures for 1000’s of years have displaced human tales with spirits, animals, and mythological beings. We displace the human expertise by investing in one thing that isn’t like us. As a result of then the viewers has to rise to that event. Our present is about love and loss and obsolescence. On paper, if I used to be to pitch you that present, you'd be like, "Geez, I dunno about that." But when I stated, "Yeah, it's a play about robots." You're like, "Okay." One does make you lean in a bit greater than the opposite. There's a level of that in each present. Even essentially the most grounded issues nonetheless need to have a heightened sense of actuality to ensure that us to look at extra humdrum issues about life.

Kara, Function has been praised for its ambiguity, however that isn’t a playable factor. When you’ve a textual content that has all of that ambiguity in it, how does that affect your course of and your work?

YOUNG: I don't know the way anyone else works, however it's about honoring a human being. And I can't honor any one in every of you in three hours or two-and-a-half hours, regardless of the time is that we now have within the theater. However I can try to try this. So, it's about filling in every little thing that Branden Jacobs-Jenkins has given us, and with [director Phylicia] Rashad's steerage and management over this textual content, persevering with to maintain the integrity of what we've constructed. I by no means actually cease working. It's about filling as a lot as attainable till the final day.

Daniel, you’ve an attention-grabbing job in that Yellow Face is a reasonably autobiographical play for David Henry Hwang. How did that change the method for you?

KIM: I've recognized David for 20-something years. He was extremely beneficiant with my portrayal of him. He by no means insisted on an impression or mimicry, however he was sitting actually 5 toes from me at each rehearsal. So, it gave me a possibility to choose and select some issues, some qualities about him and a few of his vocal rhythms that I needed to focus on in my portrayal of him. He makes use of arms and palms so much. He's very floral in the way in which that he gesticulates. However greater than something, I used to be actually honored to have the ability to spotlight among the issues that he stood for in our neighborhood and within the theater neighborhood. Something that occurs 5 minutes in the past is already outdated information. So, to have the ability to refresh our reminiscences concerning the advocacy work that he's completed and the positions that he's taken, not only for the Asian American neighborhood, however for the theatrical neighborhood, was actually an honor.

Megan, as you stated, you've received this bar that it’s a must to meet from the start with Loss of life Turns into Her. In your case, maybe an excellent greater one since you are taking part in a job originated by Meryl Streep. How do you get out of your personal manner with that?

HILTY: If I had been to print out my résumé and also you had been to look by it, you’ll discover that there's a theme. Each single factor has been both an actual particular person or someone has made that position iconic earlier than me. I'm simply the dumb-dumb that's like, "Oh yeah, I'll attempt that." I discovered a very long time in the past once I went into Depraved, like, 9 months after the present opened. This was proper after Kristin Chenoweth left. I freaked out and I assumed my job was to be a carbon copy. The stage supervisor on the time was like, "Okay, it’s good to cease watching the present. It’s essential go make this your personal." It was terrifying. However I used to be capable of drop all of those expectations, and I went again to the textual content and I used to be like, "Okay, I do know I nonetheless need to hit my marks. I’ve to be there for Idina [Menzel] as a result of she has the extent of expectation of what I must do. So, how do I marry these two? How do I honor what Kristin Chenoweth has arrange so brilliantly and nonetheless make it my very own?"

It was a very robust lesson, however I’m so grateful that I went by that exact ring of fireside as a result of it set me up for strolling into something now and saying, "Yeah, I'm not going to fulfill all people's expectations, however it's sufficient. What I’ve to carry to the desk is sufficient." I'm at all times going to honor the icons which have come earlier than me, however I can't be them. And if I attempt to be them, it's not going to be sincere. And if it's not sincere, it received't be humorous or shifting. It simply received't be actual.

So, now every little thing is a continuing balancing act between marrying these two, and that is no totally different. Sure, arguably, the best actress of all time created this position. I may fall and be fully crushed below the load of that. Or I may say, "Okay, cool. I'll attempt to do a few this stuff, however the remainder of it's received to be me."

Megan, lots of people first found you thru Smash, which is now additionally a brand new Broadway musical. Would you’ve been part of that manufacturing if the reveals weren't in the identical season?

HILTY: They've received their very own trajectory. They've received their very own factor occurring. I’m so very thrilled that these songs and these characters are going to dwell on on this manner, however I don't even know that that might be a factor. If the story is so totally different from what we did, it might make no sense for me to be part of it. In my view. It's simply not the identical. It’s its personal factor. And blessings. Blessings to all of them.

Megan has a spot within the present the place she has to improvise a line each evening. Do any of the remainder of you’ve any ad-libbing moments?

RICAMORA: There are not any new phrases which can be stated each evening, however there are moments of timing which can be totally different that make it thrilling and enjoyable.

CRISS: You keep on with the map. It's not simply you and a digital camera. It's a staff sport, so that you want your different teammates to know what you're doing. That margin that Conrad is speaking about, it's perhaps the nuance of a line supply or the house in between. However after you do 200-plus performances that margin turns into a bit wider. However inevitably, it's so nice while you go around the solar and also you come again to the place you began. Shock, shock, the issues from which we actually constructed this factor are a robust basis.

RICAMORA: It's been enjoyable studying the totally different species of laughter. The way in which that an viewers generally collectively begins laughing in the identical manner. It might be a very loud, quick burst that’s then clipped that you simply don't have to carry for as a result of they cease sooner.

CRISS: It's a distinct solid member each evening. The viewers is a distinct solid member. It's a distinct dance associate with a distinct physique weight and fluidity,

HILTY: The opposite evening I got here house and my husband was watching this documentary about surfers searching for these big waves. I used to be simply sitting there watching that with him, and I actually stated, "I’m wondering what that seems like. I wish to know what that feeling is like." After which the following present, the following day, because the viewers was laughing, I used to be Jennifer Simard and I used to be like, "That is what that seems like." We simply occurred to be holding palms and driving this wave collectively. It was such a cool second to be like, "I’ve one thing in frequent with these cool surfers."

CRISS: I at all times say the closest occupation I can equate us to are surfers. As a result of we spend most of our time ready round in that f—ing chilly ass water, praying for that wave to come back, that we’re solely in a lot management of coming. All of us listed below are at the moment hanging a candy little ten on a pleasant barrel, however this, too, shall cross. And we received to get our asses again out to the water, strengthen our our bodies and our minds, and wait in that chilly ass water till that subsequent wave comes. We're surfers and we're loopy. We preserve going again in. We get a superb wave, and we're like, "Possibly I may discover yet one more."

KIM: We go proper again on the market as a result of it's intoxicating after we get behind that wave. There's nothing prefer it. There's a bit little bit of alchemy — the precise position with the precise character with the precise individuals with the precise story to inform. It's so uncommon when one thing like that occurs.

YOUNG: It's at all times stunning to me — the primary efficiency in entrance of an viewers in the way in which that the non secular a part of the theater was meant for. So when the seats are stuffed, and also you get that first collective, no matter that ruckus or roar is, or simply when individuals lean in. It at all times surprises me as a result of there are issues that you’d by no means know. You're hoping that the work that you simply're doing within the room is the factor. So, while you get that first [response] from them, you're like, "Wait, maintain up. That is loopy. I didn't even know that. What?"

KIM: After we're on stage, it's not only a efficiency that we give an viewers, it's an power change between viewers and performer. I bear in mind one specific evening, I used to be feeling a bit bit drained, struggling to get my power again the place it wanted to be. There was one girl within the first row, who was trying up at us with such pleasure and such captivation that I checked out her and I received power from her. And I assumed, "The truth that you’re so engaged in what we're doing, I wish to do that present for you." She was laughing in a manner that turned infectious to the complete viewers. So inside 20 minutes, the present had not solely caught again as much as the place we normally are, we really elevated past that. And it was all due to one viewers member who gave us power, and it simply unfold all through the theater. That's this concept of a communion collectively.

CRISS: It's simply the truth that I get to have a reminiscence in actual time with an viewers. We now have a real-time communion. That's an historical interplay that you simply're speaking about. We’re all storytellers. We now have an inevitability and a calling to come back again to locations the place we may be with one another. We do that in theology, we do that in politics, we do that in artwork. I do imagine within the inevitable calling of the neighborhood. It’s the bedrock of how we are able to navigate and stand up to the enjoyment and distress of the human expertise. No matter it’s, massive or small, it's at all times a pleasure to simply get to be there with them. And them with me.

This interview has been edited for readability and size.

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